I get asked this question many times so it becomes another good topic for our “ Glad you asked that series”: HOW DO I TRANSFER A DESIGN FROM MY PC TO MY EMBROIDERY MACHINE?
If you have queries after reading this info below, either drop us a quick question in the comment box below or ask your local Janome dealer where you purchased your Jnaome embroidery machine to go over some of the steps you might be missing.
Nova Sewing Centre is one of Canada’s largest Janome dealers. Sean, the owner, purchased the store in Hamilton, Ontario and the store in London, Ontario and subsequently added a third store. There are 2 stores in London and one in Hamilton to supply all your sewing needs – Look at the pic’s of these stores and you will see what I mean! You will be as amazed as I was to see the vast array of sewing machines, thread, sewing notions and a whole lot more.
We published posts in recent months telling you that Janome Canada is now the distributor of Madeira thread. Many of you indicated that your dealer does not carry this very popular quality thread. Well…..as you can see, Nova Sewing Centre does!! If your local Janome or Elna dealer does not carry Madeira thread and you want it…guess where you can find it?! Nova Sewing Centre will ship to you – no problem.
Is that not a very impressive selection of trims and more? I could have spent 5 hours in Nova Sewing Centre just to browse through the trims and notions!
And, of course, Nova Sewing Centre is a Janome dealer offering a wide selection of our models as well as expert knowledge and service for our machines.
Notice these super cute Arrow sewing chairs in the pic above? Obviously it goes without sewing that you can get yours from Nova Sewing Centre! I am sitting on mine as I write this post. Super comfortable red woodwork with the sewing fabric in the bottom left of the pic above. Love my chair! AND these chairs are available with or without hydrolics so you can lower or raise your chair if you go for that model. Another fabulous secret feature is that the seat lifts up to reveal a secret compartment! I stash my chocolate or similar candy in there to keep sticky fingers away from it. Probably tells you more about me that the one with sticky fingers but it remains that it is a really clever storage spot.
One last thing……Janome educator(s) will be in attendance at the Nova Sewing Centre Tent sale at the store 325 Wortley Rd, London next week – Friday 19th and Saturday 20th July. Bring your questions to us…….we will be there to answer them as well as show you all our wonderful Janome goodies at TENT SALE pricing.
One of the most important techniques to master as a quilter is free motion quilting. You’ve probably heard the expression that you are only as good as your tools, and, with the Janome MC9450, you have exactly the right tools to make free motion quilting easy. The Janome MC9450 comes with a wide variety of free motion quilting feet so you can choose the appropriate one for any type of quilt.
With so many free motion quilting feet available, you might not know which one to use and what setting works best with it on the Janome MC9450. Don’t worry! I’m going to show you the various options available and what settings work best with each foot.
Two of the feet that will look familiar are the PD-H open-toe darning foot and the PD-H closed-toe darning foot. While these are labelled as darning feet, as a quilter, we tend to think of them as free motion quilting feet. The only difference between these two feet is that one is open at the front, while the other is closed.
PD-H Open-Toe Darning Foot
There are also 3 free motion quilting feet that come with the Janome MC9450: the QO, QC, and QV feet. These are small feet, but they work very well. Again, the QO and QC feet look alike, with the only difference being that one is open-toe and one is closed-toe.
QO Free Motion Quilting Foot
The QV foot works well for appliqué as its saucer shape makes it easy to get right up to the edges of appliqué shapes, without the worry of snagging on them. The QO, QC and QV feet all fit on the regular foot holder.
QV Free Motion Quilting Foot
The last “free motion quilting” foot that comes with the Janome MC9450 is the QR or ruler foot. While some quilters might consider ruler quilting a bit differently than free motion quilting, I think of them as the same – you just use a ruler with the ruler foot. The QR foot has a thicker base and is already attached to its foot holder.
QR Ruler Foot at work
There are different settings for the various feet and you will find these in the Sewing Applications icon on your Janome MC9450 (the one that looks like a t-shirt). There are several different menus in this area, so you need to scroll through them until you get to the Quilting, VZZ, RW menu is this is where you will see the different choices for free motion quilting.
To make it easy for you to understand the various options in this area on the Janome MC9450, click on the image below for a detailed video on the various feet and the settings to use for each of them.
Do you have a favourite free motion quilting foot and setting that you use on your Janome MC9450 when you are quilting your project? Let me know in the Comments below.
NOTE: If you have upgraded your Janome MC9400, to the Janome Mc9450, you will also have these wonderful free motion quilting feet, so the same information applies to that machine as well.
Happy quilting from Kim Jamieson-Hirst, Janome Canada Artisan in Calgary, Alberta.
At Skills Canada, in the quadrangle of ‘Creation Mode’, there was a space reserved for another competition, that of the ‘World of Trades’. Two young people qualified for the 2018 “Olympics”. The competition starts and the teachers and coaches encourage their students.
British Columbia and Québec.
The last instructions and then the departure signal.
At this level, students have to surpass their own standards. Everyone was making a project that was very elaborate: a coat lined with a fabric that was 100% high quality wool. The competitors had sixteen (16) hours spread over two days, to design the pattern and make the coat.
And here are the young people in action.
Who will win the gold medal? Both coats are Superb, but we need a winner… judges?
Competitors and Chief Justice
Yes, Janome is still there!
Lisa poses proudly next to her ‘RUSSIE ROYALE‘ coat.
And the gold medal goes to Lisa Aernoudts of Quebec !!!
I strongly suggest clicking on the following link to follow Lisa’s journey to Kazan, Russia in August 2019, to participate in the world’s largest trades competition:
Lisa, Janome Canada and all Quebecers congratulate you and wish you every success in securing first place in Kazan!
Published on Vie Janome on June 7, 2019 by Céline Ross, edited by Anne-Margaret Vose and Liz Thompson.
Skills Canada 2019 was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It was the 25th Canadian Olympiad, but what exactly are the Olympics? The Canadian Olympiads are the only national competition for multiple specialized fields for students and learners across the country. Canada’s top young talent compete in the hope of becoming a national champion in their trade or technology.
For the fourth year in a row, Janome equipped each of the eight participants with an HD-9 machine and a Pro4DX top-up.
The eight participants came from the following provinces: New Brunswick; North West Territories; Saskatchewan; Alberta; British Columbia; Ontario; Manitoba; and Quebec.
These eight teenagers had twelve hours to design the pattern and make a transformable dress with coordinated fabrics and stipulated techniques. Of course the teachers had trained them well throughout the year, but competition is not a practice. Here is the picture of the painting and sketches of the model that each had carefully prepared:
The time had come and the competition began. The concentration was intense despite observers, professors, judges and visitors.
What a beautiful smile… satisfaction or relief? The first day is over and the top of the garment is waiting to be examined by the judges.
On the second day, the transformable garment needs to be presented……short sleeve – long sleeve with a cuff.
And lo and behold, the transformable dress is ready to be judged ….. it’s a competition!
The parents were there to cheer on their daughter… what pride! Then the wait until the next day to know the winner.
Céline of Janome Canada hoped Quebec would win the gold medal.
In Fashion and Creation, the gold medal goes to Jade Fortin of Quebec !!!
In addition, Jade’s results also earned a 2nd gold medal for the highest score in any trade in Quebec !!!
What a great talent, congratulations JADE FORTIN !!!
Published on Vie Janome on June 6th, 2019 by Céline Ross, edited by Anne-Margaret Vose and Liz Thompson.
We’ve been talking a lot lately within our Education Team about how to use some of the built in features of our machines with quilting. In fact, one of the new Fall Janome Event classes is all about different quilting techniques in our QUILTING BUFFET class. (Ask your local Janome Canada dealer if they will be hosting an Educator Event this Fall) Whether you are quilting a panel, pieced blocks, placemats or even garments, decorative stitching can add quite a bit of interest and flair to your project. Ready for some tips and tricks? Follow me!
Stitch Menu for the Horizon 15000
Many Janome machines have multiple stitches available for decorative stitching. Even our mid range models, like the Janome M100 (that many of you used during classes at Quilt Canada), have decorative stitches built in. When looking at your available options, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Ready to see some examples of this technique?
The above picture shows how using a loopy stitch can add movement to your block. Consider using this one on pinwheels or other triangular blocks.
I used the Border Guide Foot for this section. It allowed me to place my stitches exactly where I wanted them. You can also use the mirror function (if your machine is equipped with it) to flip the stitches the other direction. This is useful for around curves and circles.
Some machines have a category of stitches called ‘Play’. This section includes words stitched out, like “handmade”, “sweet” and “love”. Adding some text is an easy way to add a ‘hidden quilt label’ into your quilting.
Line the base of your stitch pattern along a seam or color change in your block. The ‘Heirloom’ section of stitches has lots of simple stitch patterns to highlight your piecing.
You can also use stitches from the Applique section (pictured above) to add interest and texture to your piecing.
I hope you enjoyed learning about quilting with your decorative stitches! We have a whole class on Quilting Techniques this fall (as mentioned above) so do ask your local dealer to find out when an Educator will be in store!
Until next time,
JanomeGirl
Last year, I was sew excited to be asked to teach classes on sewing an easy, beginner’s tote bag at one of the quilt shops in my area. It’s always fun to meet new people with the same interests, and to empower them by teaching them new skills, but little did I know at the time that I’d develop a new affliction in the process. From those classes, I seem to have been bitten by the bag bug and I just can’t stop making bags – tote bags, iPad cases, travel bags, you name it! I’m hooked, as are many of you, so once again it’s Janome to the rescue.
To help meet the needs of the bag-makers, or anyone who’ll be sewing with heavy duty materials like boat canvas, vinyl, and leather, Janome has recently released the ultra-powerful Janome HD9 Professional, an exciting new update of the ever-popular Janome 1600P.
As you likely guessed, HD stands for Heavy Duty.
That’s 8 layers of denim. As you can see from all the stitching, I like doing that demonstration. lol! Capable of 1600 stitches per minute, the Janome HD9 Professional is the fastest domestic sewing machine in the entire Janome line. The Janome Quilt Maker Pro 18 longarm quilting machine is 2200 stitches per minute so that’ll give you some idea of the power behind this machine.
Attached to the machine in the video is an exciting new accessory foot called the HD Roller Foot. Aptly named, the HD Roller Foot helps roll the thicker, more dense layers through the machine with ease. No need to pull and tug at the fabric, or whatever it is you’re sewing. Let the machine do the work!
Even more exciting is that this foot works with some other Janome models, so be sure to click on the links for a full description of which models are compatible. As always, please consult your Janome dealer for more information. Below is a photo of the HD Roller Foot on my Janome MC 15000 Quiltmaker. Full instructions on how to attach and position the foot are in included in the blister pack.
Akin to the HD9 Professional is the Janome MC 6700P; it shares many of it’s features: all metal flatbed; heavy duty, industrial-like, Professional look and feel; LED lighting; high speed – the MC 6700P has 1200 stitches per minute. I’ve had one at home since it debuted and I absolutely love it!
Since I travel so much for work, I love having lots of little bags and multiples of things to help stay organized and save time. I have several sets of toiletries; razors, shaving cream, shower gel, etc. packed in several bags so I have less unpacking and packing to do between trips. I used a Kwik Sew pattern, but there are many great patterns available. Many quilters have also caught the bag bug, so most quilt shops carry a variety of bag and wallet patterns and the corresponding hardware, which adds that professional touch.
I used two weights of vinyl, one which had a fleece-like backing so it was thicker and a little harder to work with, but no problems with the actual sewing. The pattern didn’t call for it, but I inserted a bit of left over piping from another project, and again, no problems with the extra layers, extra bulk. The Janome MC 6700P has an extra-high presser foot lift to accommodate thicker layers. These little travel bags are a great way to use up some of your stash. Be sure to use some snazzy lining so everything is neatly finished on the inside!
Bags, wallets and pocketbooks, often require a zipper closure, which can lead to dread and project abandonment if you’re fearful that your machine is not up to the task. Fear no more when using the Janome AcuFeed Flex Single/ Narrow foot holder and corresponding Zipper foot. It is not included in the MC 6700P, but it’s available in a separate blister pack from your Janome dealer if your machine did not come with one. It’s narrow profile helps you get into some tight spots while feeding the layers evenly at the same time.
One of my favourite feet to use is the Janome 1/4″ foot with guide as it helps keep topstitching straight along the zipper seam, as in the photo below. There are other great Janome presser feet options to use, as well, so use what works best for your project. Topstitching to keep the seams flat is usually an essential step in heavy duty sewing since pressing with an iron is often not possible with the materials used, for example, leather, suede and vinyl can not be pressed.
Often referred by different names, the Button Shank Plate is something which comes with many Janome machine and I use it a lot, especially when sewing thicker, bulkier fabrics. It’s fantastic to use when hemming jeans when you have to sew over that big bump of the inseam. Use the Button Shank Plate when sewing on buttons by machine (consult your instruction manual for more information) AND use it to keep the presser foot level when sewing over thick, bulky seams. In the photo below you can see how it’s keeping the presser foot level while sewing at the edge of the fuzzy strip of Velcro, another notion often used in bag-making and heavy duty sewing. Keeping the foot level will prevent skipped stitches and broken needles, so you’ll want to keep this handy tool, well, handy!
And of course, since you’re the designer, you can customize and personalize your bag, pocket book, wallet, etc. as you desire. Any of our Janome embroidery machines; the Janome MC 15000 Quiltmaker, Janome Skyline S9, Janome MC 500E, for example, would help do the trick!
NO! This gym bag is NOT for ME! lol!
The special recipient is our very good friend, Laura, who’s from England, and I’m very proud to say that it was my partner, Joe, NOT me, who sewed every stitch of this bag himself. He’s a beginner sewist and used the Janome MC 6700P. He even quilted the fabric using the AcuFeed Flex Dual/Twin foot holder with standard AD foot and attached the Quilting Guide Bar to achieve even crosshatched quilted rows of stitching. Having the large extension table which comes included with the machine definitely came in handy for this step. (the extension table also fits the new HD9, as well!)
Joe used the Duffle Bag pattern from Taylor Made Designs and made modifications to include side pockets, using the very fun “Girl Power” Superhero fabric, and added the embroidery to the front pocket. Okay, Joe didn’t stitch that! lol! Other than that, it was all him. I provided some instruction, but he did the work.
Even a beginner sewist can achieve professional results no matter what the project; no matter how heavy duty, when using the right tools. As always, Janome’s got you covered! Visit your Janome Dealer to give the new HD9 Professional and MC 6700P a test drive, or, stop by our Janome booth at the next sewing show you attend where we’ll have these machines and more!
One aspect of my job which I dearly love is to travel around to the various Janome dealerships to give presentations on all things Janome; or, as I put it, “to share the Janome love.” It’s such a joy for me to meet so many Janome fans as I love to hear their feedback, suggestions, and especially their responses as I show them samples of things I’ve made using the various Janome machines, attachments, and presser feet.
One presser foot which always creates excitement is the Janome Border Guide foot.
Though this optional, speciality presser foot has been around for a few years, I find it’s one of those little hidden gems which many sewists don’t know about it. I’m happy to help share the virtues of this foot and help it become more widely known as I LOVE it and use it every chance I get. Available for both 9mm and 7mm machines, be sure to check with your Janome dealer to purchase the correct size for your machine.
You’ll see in the above photo that the Janome Border Guide foot (FB) looks like the standard Janome Satin Stitch foot (F), but has flanges, or, I call them “wings”, on either side. There’s also some special markings on the front of the foot and on the “wings”, which is the key to why this presser foot works so well when stitching multiple rows of decorative stitches, as in my sewing machine cover pictured below.
I personally never cover my sewing machines; I suppose since they’re pretty-much in constant use, but I was asked to make a sewing machine cover as one of the samples which I take along to show at presentations. I turned to our friends at Sew4Home. for some inspiration as there is a TON of fabulous free patterns, tips, tricks and techniques to find on their website, such as a tutorial on how to make the Piping for the sewing machine cover, made even easier by using the Janome Piping foot, of course.
The parallel rows of decorative stitching were quick and easy to do; with minimal marking of the fabric, I might add, as I used the red guidelines marked on the Janome Border Guide foot to keep everything straight and uniform.
Below is a quick sample I did to test out the thread, fabric, needle and decorative stitches I’m thinking of using for another project.
ALWAYS take the time to experiment before you begin your “good” project. There’s so many variables involved, so you definitely want to do some testing first to ensure you achieve the results you desire. For example, since I’m using some dense decorative stitches, I want to also audition some choices of stabilizer to adequately support those stitches.
The spacing between the red guidelines of the 9mm Janome Border Guide foot is approximately 3/8″ or 10mm, so it’s perfect for the nice wide 9mm decorative stitches of my Janome MC 15000 Quiltmaker, for example. However, as I mentioned previously, there is also a 7mm Janome Border Guide foot to use with Janome 7mm machines, so the spacing between those guidelines would be spaced accordingly.
Stitching is in straight, even rows, as noted by my seam ripper pointing to the edge of the leaf in the photo below. The outer red guideline of the foot is perfectly in-line with the outer tip of the leaf. SEW good!
With so many of our Janome machines offering such a vast array of enticing decorative stitches, I thought the Sew4home sewing machine cover with rows of decorative stitches was a terrific project to test some out, especially when using the Janome Border Guide foot to help produce such terrific results!
Happy Sewing!
HAPPY CANADA DAY! To celebrate we thought we would revisit Tamara’s wonderful O Canada quilt created for our Canada 150 a couple of years ago. The pattern for this quilt is still available from Tamara at http://Www.kayajoydesigns.com
And now for a great introductory offer from Janome……valid until 31st July at participating Janome Canada dealers.
Janome guy brought you news last week in our Machine Model of the Month series of a new Janome longarm quilter to add to the ones we already have on offer. Here is more …….ask your local Janome Canada Dealer today for more information about the incredible introductory offer of optional accessories at no extra cost – all on our new QMP16 -so that you can get your quilts quilted with ease!
It was a happy mail day when this new beauty was delivered about eight wonderful weeks ago. The unboxing was super fun!
If you follow me on instgram, you would have noticed my excitement at the time. I was pretty giddy.
Over the years, I feel like I’ve really grown with the Janome Skyline family. My first machine was the Janome Skyline S5. It was really a step up from other basic machines with just a few stitch options that I had been used to using previously. After a little while, I moved on the Janome Skyline S7. And now I have the pleasure of sewing on the newly released Janome Skyline S9.
You can read all about the features of this machine on the Janome Canada website but I thought I would share just a few things that have been highlights for me in getting to know this beautiful new sewing machine.
Straight out of the box, it was love at first sight. The Janome Skyline S9 is the new indigo version with an indigo touch screen, better LED lighting, new thread guide, as well as HP foot and plate capability.
I really love all the added little features, included a notification when a thread breaks mid-quilting job. No one ever likes to be doing something stitching in the ditch of a quilt top and realize after you’ve gone the full length of the quilt that you ran out of thread closer to the start.
The BIG highlight for me though, is that not only will this new machine accommodate all my quilting, apparel and other sewing projects but… it has the added feature of embroidery. (Eeeeeee!!!!)
I have been busy playing with all the fun embroidery features and apps. The possibilities are endless.
I love customizing colours for my projects.
And it’s fun watching an embroidery project come together. I was surprised how easy it was to get started using embroidery on the Janome Skyline S9. After reading through the instructions and watching a few online videos, I was ready to go.
I just can’t get enough of this.
I know I have a lot more features on the machine to explore and I can’t wait to use this machine to its full potential. I have been busy sewing and quilting and embroidering away. Here is a top for my daughter.
And I just finished this ribbon quilt that involved sewing a lot of fabric that isn’t the easiest to work with (satin, and ribbons made of a similar material). For that I used the AcuFeed Dual Feed Foot which is one of the many standard accessories included with this machine.
I can’t wait to explore all the features on this machine.
What Janome machine do you current sew on? What is your dream Janome sewing machine? Have you used an embroidery machine?
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